Compressor



I 1,629,798 1927' F. w. KNOWLES COMPRESSOR Filed Aug 24, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1,629,798 1927" w. KNOWLES COMPRESSOR Filed Aug. 24. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 W/r/vEs s E s ilwwwrtor F. w. KNOWLES COMPRESSOR May 24, 1927. r 1,629,798

Filed Auk. 24. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [WT/V5595? gum few, .5 z P77141164 IV-AWOWLES- Patented May 24, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oF'F cr... 1

Exam: w. NQWLES, {0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

, comrnnssoa.

Application filed August 24, 1925. Serial No. 52,037.

of the above kind which may be cheaply and easily manufactured and assembled with accuracyand without the requirement of special skill or tools.

A further object is to provldea compressor of the above kind which is so con structed as to not readily get out of order I and wherein a 11111111111111! number of antithe same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accom-' panying' drawings and claimed.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters *indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

F igure 1 is a top plan view of a rotary compressor constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FigureQ is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of the device shown in Figure 1, 1

'Figure3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon line 3-3 of Figure l, r

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially'upon'line 44 of Figure 8, i I

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon line 5-5 of Figure 2, h

Figure 6 is a view similar -to Figure '5 taken substantially upon line 6-6 of Figure 2; r

' Figure 7 is a fragmentaryview partly in elevation and partly inlongitudinal section of the stationary {shaft or axle about which the cylinders revolve, tcgetheawith ite aasc Another object is'to prov-idea compressor Figure8 is an enlarged central transverse secilzional view of one of the portedrings, anc

Figure '9 is a viewof the rings shown in Figure 8 taken in central sect-ion upon a line at right angles to the plane of section ,of Figure 8.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the present invention embodies a. cylinder block formed to provide a pair of radial aligned cylindersfi connected at their inner ends by an intermediate crank case 6 that is formed with akia lly aligned openings in the sides thereof in which are fitted the inner ends of horizontally arranged and aimed sleeves 7 which ,are provided with'external annular flanges 8 that flatly engage the outer surface of the crank case :6 in surrounding relation to the openings of the latter. The flanges ,8 are provided with openings through which pass stud screws 9 that are threaded into the crank case for securely maintaining the sleeves 7 in place. The outer ends of the sleeves 7 are freely journaled in aligned anti-friction bearings 10 provided in the upper ,ends of a pair of spaced uprightsor standards 11 which are of sufiicient height to insure supporting of the cylinder blocks at the required velevation above the supporting surface of the compressor. The bearings 10 may be of any well known orpreferred form and eitherof the ball or roller type embodying concentric races respectively secured to the cooperating standard ll'and' the associated sleeve 7.

The outer ends ofthe cylinders are closed by means of detachable cylinder heads in the form of plates 12'bolted in placexas indicated at 13, and the outerends of the cylinders are counter-bored to provide .in ternal shoulders as 'atyl. Slidably fitted in the counter-bored 'outerlportions of the cylinders are relatively shallow cup shaped valves 15 which are yieldinglyseated upon the shoulders '14: by means of helical compression springs 16 interposed between the valves 15 and the heads 12.

The cylinder block is provided with pas-' sages "-17 and 18 which respectively open through opposite sides of the cylinder block adjacent {the axial openings zin the "latter, and :the passage 17 communicates with the cylinders 5 andthe point inwardl of the shoulders'itef vanes 15,.whi1e the passage 18 communicates with both cylinders at points outwardly of the seats 14- of said valves 15 as shown clearly in Figure It is to be noted that the valves 15 fit loosely in the cylinders so that gas may pass around the same from the cylinders to the passage 18 when. the valves are unseated, and the points at which the passage 17 communicates with the cylinders are outwardly of the inner limits of movement of pistons 19 which are disposed to reciprocz to in the cylinders 5.

The sleeves 7 are provided with passages 20 which respectively communicate at their inner ends with the passage 17 and the passsage 18, and which communicate at their outer ends with the interior of the respective sleeves 7 in which they are provided.

A stationary shaft or axle 21 freely extends through the sleeves 7 so that the latter may freely rotate thereon, and this shaft is provided with a pair of longitudinal passages 22 and 23 that terminate in radial portions disposed to communicate with radial openings 2 1- provided in channel shaped rings 25 that are disposed upon the shaft 21 within the sleeves 7.

The bores of the sleeves 7 are enlarged in the major outer portions of thelatter so as to provide a packing space between the same and the adjacent portions of the shaft 21,

and the rings 25 are disposed in the inter-' mediate portions of these packing spaces of the sleeves 7 and have packing rings at opposite sides thereof. These packing rings closely fit about the shaft 21 and within the sleeves 7 and are generally indicated at 26 although they preferably embody alternate rings of metallic packing and rings of flax impregnated with graphite. In this way, spaced metallic bearings are formed by the packing rings with intermediate lubricating packing rings so that friction is reduced to a minimum. The packing and the rings 25 are maintained in place by means of tubular glands 27 which are threaded into the outer ends of the sleeves 7, and by reason of this construction leakage of air or gas between the sleeves 7 and the shaft 21into the crank case 6 or outwardly to the atn'iosphere may be elfectiiely prevented.

It will be seen that the cylinders are completely supported by the sleeves 7 and standards 11 so that no anti-friction bearings of the ball or roller type are required between the shaft 21 and the sleeves 7. It is simply necessary to provide any suitable means to restrain the shaft 21 from rotating, and the only anti-friction bearings employed are externally of the cylinder block where they are readily accessible for renewal or repair, such bearings being those indicated at 10' and referred to above.

The inner ends of the pistons 19 are rigidly secured to the parallel guide rails of a transversely disposed rectangular frame 28 arranged within the crank case 6, and slidably mounted within the frame 28 is an eccentric strap in the form of a block 29 movable in the frame 28 transversely of the cylinders and pistons and having a circular central opening in which is disposed an eccentric 30 rigid with the portion of the shaft 21 that is exposed between the inner spaced ends of the sleeves 7. In this manner the eccentric block 29 is free to revolve about the eccentric 80 for a purpose which will presently become apparent.

The passages 22 and 23 preferably open through one end of the shaft 21, and any suitable means may be coupled to this end of shaft 21 for respectively conductingthe air or gas to be compressed to the passage 22 and for conducting the compressed air or gas from the passage 23. Revolving of the cylinders and pistons about the shaft 21 may be effected by driving one of the sleeves 7 in any preferred manner, but for thispurpose one of the sleeves 7 is preferably directly connected to the power shaft of a motor of any high speed type.

lVith the shaft 21 restrained from rotation and one of the sleeves 7 driven at a high speed of rotation, the cylinders and pistons will revolve about the shaft 21 and the frame 28 together with the eccentric block-29 will be carried around therewith so as to. cause sliding movement of said block 29 transversely of the cylinders and pistons, and, by reason of engagement of the eccentric 30 in the block 29 the pistons 19 will be alternatelymoved inwardly and outwardly or reciprocated. When a piston moves inwardly it will uncover the passage 17 for permitting the air or gas to be drawn into the cooperating cylinder thereof, and vhen such piston is moved outwardly the passage 17 willbc closed and the trapped air or gas will be compressed for unscating thevalve 15 of such cylinder so that the compressed air or gas will he forced outwardly through the passage 18 into the passage 23.

The revolving cylinders will be cooled by reason of their revolving movement so that no water cooling system is required, and owing to the high speed at which the cylinders are revolved, a relatively. large capacity compressor may be provided in accordance with. this invention which is comparatively small in size. The structureis compact, simple and durable and charac terized by elimination of undesirable pivoted parts such connecting rods and the like that are employed in compressors now in common use. 1

From the foregoing description it is believed that the construction and operation as well as the advantages of the present invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

llO

Minor changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the in vention as claimed. ,7

Vhat I claim'as new is:

1. In a rotary compressor, a cylinder block embodying a pair of radial alined cylinders connected by a crank case, sleeves rigid with and projecting outwardly from the crank case in horizontal alined relation, means rotatably receiving the sleeves and supporting the latter and the cylinder block, a stationary shaft extending through the sleeves and about which the latter and the cylinder block are adapted to rotate, pistons reciprocable in said cylinders, a rigid guide frame to which the inner ends of the pistons are fixed, an eccentric block slidable in said frame, and an eccentric rigid with ,the shaft and having a block revolubly fitted thereon.

2. In a rotary compressor, a cylinder block embodying a pair of radial alined cylinders connected by a crank case, sleeves rigid with and projecting outwardly from the sides of the crank case in horizontal alined relation, means rotatably receiving the sleeves and supporting the latter and the cylinder block, a shaft extending through the sleeves and about which the latter and the cylinder block are adapted to rotate, pistons reciprocable in said cylinders, means operatively connecting the inner ends of the pistons with said shaft for causing reciprocation of the pistons when revolved about the shaft, said cylinder block and sleeves having exhaust and intake passages, said shaft having longitudinal exhaust and intake passages terminating in radial end portions opening through the side of the shaft within the respective sleeves and respectively in registry with the exhaust and intake passages of the latter, channel rings upon the shaft within the sleeves and having radial openings to place the passages of the shaft and sleeves in constant communication, and packing rings upon the shaft at opposite sides of said first named rings and within said sleeves.

3. In a rotary compressor, a cylinder block embodying a pair of radial alined cylinders connected by a crank case, sleeves rigid with and projecting outwardly from the sides of the crank case in horizontal alined relation, means rotatably receiving the sleeves and supporting the latter and the cylinder block, a shaft extending through the sleeves and about which the latter and the cylinder block are adapted to rotate, pistons reciprocable in said cylinders,

means operatively connecting the inner ends of the pistons with said shaft for causing reciprocation of the pistons when revolved about the shaft, said cylinder block and sleeves having exhaust and intake passages, said shaft having longitudinal exhaust and intake passages terminating in radial end portions opening through the side of the shaft within the respective sleeves and respectively in registry with the exhaust and intake passages of the latter, channel rings upon the shaft within the sleeves and having radial openings to place the passages of the shaft and sleeves in constant communication, packingrings upon the shaftat opposite sides of said first named rings and within said sleeves, and glands adjustable in the outer ends of the sleeves for compacting and retaining the rings in place 4. In a compressor, a cylinder block embodying a pair of cylinders connected by a crank case, sleeves rigid with'and projecting outwardly from the crank case in horizontal aligned relation, means supporting the sleeves and the cylinder block, a shaft extending through the sleeves, pistons reciprocable in said cylinders, a rigid guide frame to which the inner ends of the pistons are fixed, an eccentric block slidable in said frame, and an eccentric rigid with the shaft and havii'ig' the block revolubly fitted"; thereon.

5. In a-compressor, a cylinder block embodying a pair of cylinders connected by a crank case, sleeves rigid with and projecting outwardly from the sides of'the crank case in horizontal aligned relation, means supporting the sleeves and, the cylinder block, a shaft extending through the sleeves and the crankcase, pistons reciprocable in said cylinders, means operatively connecting the inner ends of the pistons with said shaftfor causing reciprocation of the pistons when .a relative rotation is'caused between the cylinder'block and the shaft, an exhaust passage leading from the outer ends of the cylinders through a wall of the cylinder block and one of the sleeves in communication with the interior 'of the latter, an

intake passage leading from the outer ends 7 passages of the latter, means to place the passages ofthe shaft and the sleeves in I constant communication, and a packing between the shaftand the sleeves at opposite sides of the registered portions of the passages thereof.

Intestimony whereof I affix my signature.

-FRAN K W. KNOWLES. 

